Firefighters tackle a blaze near the village of Tabara, northern Spain. AFP
Firefighters tackle a blaze near the village of Tabara, northern Spain. AFP
Firefighters tackle a blaze near the village of Tabara, northern Spain. AFP
Firefighters tackle a blaze near the village of Tabara, northern Spain. AFP

World breaks hottest day record despite cooler climate pattern


Soraya Ebrahimi
  • English
  • Arabic

The world experienced its hottest day on record on Monday, narrowly overtaking the previous high set only 24 hours earlier on Sunday, new data from an EU monitoring agency shows.

While regions around the world sizzled in a heatwave and wildfires engulfed parts of the Mediterranean, Russia and Canada, the global average surface air temperature rose to 17.15°C on Monday, July 22.

This temperature was 0.06°C higher than Sunday's record, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, which has tracked such data since 1940.

The recorded temperature also includes the Southern Hemisphere, which is currently in winter, bringing down the worldwide average.

Scientists said it was possible that Tuesday or Wednesday of this week could again pass Monday's record, as temperature peaks generally occur in clusters.

The previous record hot day was in July 2023, as the mark was repeatedly broken across four consecutive days from July 3 to July 6. Before that, it was set in August 2016.

What makes this year's record unusual is that – unlike in 2023 and 2016 – the world in April moved out of the El Nino climate pattern, which generally amplifies global temperatures owing to warmer than usual waters in the Eastern Pacific.

Karsten Haustein, a climate scientist at Leipzig University in Germany, said it was remarkable the record had been breached again, with the world well into the neutral phase of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation.

This points to the greater-than-ever influence of climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, in boosting global temperatures, scientists say.

"It's really alarming that there's not an El Nino year and we're seeing this," said Joyce Kimutai, a climate scientist with Imperial College London and the Kenya Meteorological Department. "We've seen the signal come back to neutral, and almost La Nina, actually."

A La Nina would lead to substantial global cooling, masking some of the warming from climate change.

"Then we would really expect the temperatures to come down," she said. "If that is not happening, then it means there's really something wrong happening in our planet."

Health alerts in Asia

China has issued a series of heat alerts this week, with dozens of weather stations in parts of central and north-western China recording temperatures in excess of 40°C.

The central Chinese city of Wuhan, which hosted an international climate change meeting this week, issued a heat red alert early on Wednesday after temperatures hit 42.2°C.

Taiwan was also bracing for the impact of Typhoon Gaemi on Wednesday, with factories and financial markets shut down amid forecasts of torrential rain.

Wind speeds at its centre were approaching their second highest ever recorded for the western Pacific Ocean on Wednesday afternoon. China's state weather bureau also issued a typhoon red alert.

Scientists say climate change is making typhoons, tropical cyclones that gain energy by feeding on ocean heat, more intense, capable of reaching greater wind speeds and dumping more rain.

Japan too has experienced record-breaking heat throughout July. Heat stroke alerts were issued in 39 of the country's 47 prefectures on Monday, with temperatures exceeding 37°C.

US, Canada and Russia struggle to contain wildfires

More than 40 million Americans on Tuesday were facing dangerous temperatures, largely in the US west where wind gusts and dry conditions stoked dozens of wildfires.

Excessive heat will continue to blanket an area stretching north from the US south-west through Nevada and into Idaho and Montana over the next two days before milder temperatures arrive on Friday, the US National Weather Service said.

The province of Alberta in western Canada is also grappling with dozens of wildfires that have caused evacuations of thousands of people, including from Jasper National Park on Monday night.

The 2022 European heatwave - in pictures

Even the far north is enduring a heatwave.

Fairbanks, Alaska was set to hit 31°C on Wednesday, approaching past records, while temperatures in parts of the Canadian, Russian and Norwegian Arctic were reaching temperatures more than 9°C above the 1979 to 2000 baseline average for this time of year.

Russia's state forest agency has been battling dozens of blazes in Siberia in recent days as the unusually hot summer fuels fires.

Heatwave across Europe

In Europe, Spain endured blistering temperatures in its second heatwave of the summer, which arrived on Tuesday, only four days after the first one ended. The heat was expected to peak on Wednesday, with at least one wildfire burning out of control in the north-east of the country.

Weather service AEMET put about half of Spain's territory on orange alert for heat and part of the eastern region of Extremadura on red alert, forecasting maximum temperatures of 44°C.

Meanwhile, Greece's longest-ever heatwave ended officially on Wednesday after 16 days, beating the record set just last year.

"It is noteworthy that the record was broken so quickly, in just the following year," said Kostas Lagouvardos, research director of the National Observatory of Athens.

While temperatures during the latest heatwave, Greece's second this summer, were not extreme, nighttime temperatures did not fall below 30°C in certain regions, compounding the impact of heat stress on humans, Mr Lagouvardos said.

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

RESULT

Fifth ODI, at Headingley

England 351/9
Pakistan 297
England win by 54 runs (win series 4-0)

Defence review at a glance

• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”

• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems

• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.

• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%

• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade

• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels

Company%C2%A0profile
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The Freedom Artist

By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)

Tips for SMEs to cope
  • Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
  • Make sure you have an online presence
  • Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
  • Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
    Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.
Dhadak

Director: Shashank Khaitan

Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana

Stars: 3

Skoda Superb Specs

Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol

Power: 190hp

Torque: 320Nm

Price: From Dh147,000

Available: Now

Pakistan squad

Sarfraz (c), Zaman, Imam, Masood, Azam, Malik, Asif, Sohail, Shadab, Nawaz, Ashraf, Hasan, Amir, Junaid, Shinwari and Afridi

HWJN
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Yasir%20Alyasiri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Baraa%20Alem%2C%20Nour%20Alkhadra%2C%20Alanoud%20Saud%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO

Norwich 0

Watford 2 (Deulofeu 2', Gray 52')

Red card: Christian Kabasele (WatforD)

RESULT

Chelsea 2

Willian 13'

Ross Barkley 64'

Liverpool 0

Brief scores:

Manchester United 4

Young 13', Mata 28', Lukaku 42', Rashford 82'

Fulham 1

Kamara 67' (pen),

Red card: Anguissa (68')

Man of the match: Juan Mata (Man Utd)

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Abu Dhabi GP schedule

Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm

Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm

Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Director: Scott Cooper

Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong

Rating: 4/5

Vikram%20Vedha
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Gayatri%2C%20Pushkar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hrithik%20Roshan%2C%20Saif%20Ali%20Khan%2C%20Radhika%20Apte%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Five famous companies founded by teens

There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:

  1. Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate. 
  2. Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc. 
  3. Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway. 
  4. Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
  5. Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
What are the main cyber security threats?

Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Company profile: buybackbazaar.com

Name: buybackbazaar.com

Started: January 2018

Founder(s): Pishu Ganglani and Ricky Husaini

Based: Dubai

Sector: FinTech, micro finance

Initial investment: $1 million

Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners

 

Company: Instabug

Founded: 2013

Based: Egypt, Cairo

Sector: IT

Employees: 100

Stage: Series A

Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors

Match info

Uefa Champions League Group C

Liverpool v Napoli, midnight

Company profile

Name: Fruitful Day

Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie

Based: Dubai, UAE

Founded: 2015

Number of employees: 30

Sector: F&B

Funding so far: Dh3 million

Future funding plans: None at present

Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries

Roll of honour 2019-2020

Dubai Rugby Sevens

Winners: Dubai Hurricanes

Runners up: Bahrain

 

West Asia Premiership

Winners: Bahrain

Runners up: UAE Premiership

 

UAE Premiership

Winners: Dubai Exiles

Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes

 

UAE Division One

Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens

Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II

 

UAE Division Two

Winners: Barrelhouse

Runners up: RAK Rugby

Company Profile:

Name: The Protein Bakeshop

Date of start: 2013

Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani

Based: Dubai

Size, number of employees: 12

Funding/investors:  $400,000 (2018) 

Women%E2%80%99s%20Asia%20Cup
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Results

5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (Dirt) 1,000m, Winner: Hazeem Al Raed, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)

5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 85,000 (D) 1,000m, Winner: Ghazwan Al Khalediah, Hugo Lebouc, Helal Al Alawi

6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,400m, Winner: Dinar Al Khalediah, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi.

6.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Faith And Fortune, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Only Smoke, Bernardo Pinheiro, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: AF Ramz, Saif Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi.

8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: AF Mass, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.

Updated: July 25, 2024, 8:01 AM